Various bonus prizes are often awarded in bingo games. One popular type of bonus prize in bingo games is the so-called “hot ball” or “cash ball,” wherein a bonus prize is awarded responsive to a bingo game ending (i.e., one or more bingos) with a predetermined bingo number being called as the last bingo number in the game. Such bonus prizes are typically presented in the form of a progressive jackpot. Although such a jackpot method may be very attractive to players due to its high monetary value, the jackpot method often lacks the important element of anticipation because when the “hot ball” is called in the beginning of the bingo game (i.e., before a bingo occurs) players immediately realize that they have no chance of winning the jackpot during the current bingo game.
In another example, a progressive jackpot scheme disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,727,786 and 6,565,091 (both to Weingardt) also lacks the all-important element of anticipation, at least for the players playing paper bingo cards, because such players cannot readily discern the random pattern of colors applicable to their bingo cards in accordance with the current set of random colors assigned to the bingo numbers on a multicolor bingo flashboard. Moreover, the Weingardt systems require complex and expensive systems that are too costly for most bingo halls.
Accordingly, there is the need for the capability of offering bingo players attractive bonus prizes while preserving the element of anticipation, without the need for expensive additional equipment that is not typically present in bingo halls.